Sole press



March 15, 1966 Filed Sept. 14, 1964 A. MEYERs 3,239,859

SOLE PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 |04 "7/ ,4) MUT@ Q "1'l |50 |42 l2 Q' |44 |52 I4 22 `I y ||l lo |45/ ,y L f l 52 l FIGI |46 loo [O3 se F164 QM VVE/WUR March 15, 1966 A. MEYERs 3,239,859

ATTORNEYS March 15, 1966 A. MEYERS 3,239,859

SOLE PRESS Filed Sept. 14, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTUE'NEYS United States Patent O 3,239,859 SOLE PRESS Albert Meyers, 2 Rawson Hill Rond, Newburyport, Mass. Filed Sept. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 396,431 18 Claims. (Cl. 12-36) This invention relates to sole laying apparatus and more particularly comprises a new and improved singleunit sole laying press capable of performing the functions of a two unit machine.

Conventional single-unit sole laying presses carry a single pad provided with an arch which generally conforms to the shape of both a right and left shoe. However, such pads do not conform precisely to either a left or a right shoe and therefore are not capable of exerting the properly distributed pressure on each shoe, particularly in the region of the arch where it is most needed. To overcome this problem manufacturers sometimes use two-unit sole laying presses which are essentially two single-unit presses on a single frame. Insuch an arrangement one of the units has a right pad and the other a left pad, and the operator either simultaneously or alternately uses each of the units in the machine.

One important object of this invention is to provide a single-unit machine which is capable of performing all of the duties of the two-unit sole laying press but which is substantially less expensive than the two-unit machine.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an automatic control for a single-unit sole laying press which automatically clears the press while the operator spots the sole of the next shoe to be handled by the machine so as to prepare the machine for the insertion of the next shoe without requiring the operator to remove the adhered shoe from the machine.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a heavy duty machine which is relatively inexpensive, is designed to give long, trouble-free service and occupies the space of a single-unit machine while performing the functions of a two-unit machine.

To accomplish these and other objects the single-unit sole laying press of this invention includes a frame having a stationary heel and toe piece assembly and a movable shuttle carrying a pair of pads. The shuttle moves back and forth to alternately align the pads with the heel and toe piece assembly and the pads are specifically designed to support either a right or a left shoe. The shuttle is raised alternately with the left and right pads in alignment with the toe and heel piece assembly so as to alternately press the soles on the left and right laste-d shoe uppers carried on the pads.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a single-unit sole laying press constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view with certain parts removed of the sole laying press shown in FIG. l;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary perspective views showing the shuttle assembly of the sole laying press in opposite extreme lower horizontal positions;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 but showing the shuttle in the extreme elevated position;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the shuttle valve assembly of the press and showing schematically the pneumatic control circuit through the different valves;

FIGS. 7-9 are detail views of portions of the shuttle valve assembly showing the parts in different positions; and

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary side view of the shuttle mounting bracket forming part of the sole laying press.

The embodiment of this invention shown in the drawings includes a frame 18 having a head 12 and base stand 14 and a post or standard 15, a heel and toe piece assembly 16 mounted on the bottom of the head 12 and a shuttle assembly 18 supported on the top of base stand 14. The frame 10 is sized so as to support the shuttle assembly 18 approximately waist high at a convenient elevation for the operator. Mounted on the side of the base stand 14 is a shuttle valve assembly 20. A control knob 22 is mounted on the front of the head 12 which serves to control the dwell time of the press during which the machine applies pressure to the shoe to adhere the sole and upper together.

In FIGS. l and 2 the heel and toe piece assembly 16 is shown secured to the head 12 of the frame by an elongated bolt 24 which extends upwardly through the head and is anchored to a platform 26 within the head. The head 12 including the platform 26 as well as the post 15 and the base stand 14, may be cast as a unitary structure. The bolt 24 anchored to the platform 26 by nut 30 carries an arm block 32 against the bottom face 36 of the head, which in turn supports arm bracket 34 that extends substantially horizontally below the bottom face 36 of the head. Slidably mounted on the bracket 34 are a pair of clamps 38 and 48 which respectively carry heel piece 42 and toe piece 44. rI`he heel and toe pieces 42 and 44 are themselves threaded into the members 38 and 40 so that they may be lowered and raised to adjust for the particular last being handled by the machine. It is also evident from an inspection of FIG. 2 that the members 38 and 48, Slidably mounted on the bracket 34 for movement left and right, allow the heel and toe pieces to be alignable with lasted shoes of different sizes.

A double acting air cylinder 50 is mounted within the base stand 14 beneath the -top plate 52 by a plurality of bolts 54 which may form an integral part of the cylinder body. The bolts 54 are anchored to the top plate 52 by nuts 56 which are clearly evident in FIG. 2. The piston (not shown) within the cylinder 50 carries a piston rod 58 that moves vertically in response to activation of the cylinder. The piston in turn carries at its upper end above the top plate 52 a mounting block 68 which in turn carries a bed 62 which moves with the block and piston. That is, when the cylinder is activated and the piston 58 moves upwardly as shown in FIG. 2, the block 68 and bed 62 move with it, and when upon reactivation of the cylinder the piston 58 moves downwardly, it carries block 68 and bed 62 with it. It should be borne in mind that none of the parts thus far described moves translationally; that is, from side to side in a horizontal plane.

The bed 62 carries a pair of brackets 64 one of which is shown in detail in FIG. 10, which brackets are slidable from side to side on the bed as suggested by the double arrow 66 in FIGS. l, 3 .and 4. The bracket 64 shown in detail in FIG. l0 may be cast of manganese bronze or other similar material and includes front and rear legs 68 and 7 8 which extend downwardly in front of the front edge 72 and behind the rear edge 74 of the bed 62. The two brackets 64 Slidably mounted on the bed are secured together by bars 76 and 78 which respectively interconnect the bott-oms of the front legs 68 and rear legs 70 of the brackets. It is evident in FIG. 10 that the bars 76 and 78 lie beneath the lower surface` 80 of the bed 62 to retain the brackets 64 in place. The brackets 64 car-ry -a generally f8-shaped pad carrier frame 82 anchored in place by a rod 84 which passes through upstanding ears 86 formed as integral parts of the brackets 64 and downwardly extending ears 88 formed as part of the pad car- Tier frame 82. The frame 82 in turn carries the left and right shoe pads 90 and 92 respectively, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5. The pads 90 and 92 may either be hydraulic fluid pads or solid rubber pads made of neoprene or a similar material, and may be shaped to have the sole contour of the particular style of shoe being processed in the sole laying press. The pads are of standard design and the details thereof form no part of the present invention. It is only important to note that the pads 90 and 92 are designed for different shoes.

In FIG. 3, it will be noted that the right pad 92 is vertically aligned with the heel and toe piece assembly 16, -with the shoe S carried on last L on the pad 92 disposed beneath the heel and toe pieces 42 and 44. In FIG. 4 the left pad 90 is shown in vertical alignment with the heel and toe piece assembly 16 and more particularly the lasted shoe S is aligned with the heel and toe pieces. In FIG. 5, the right shoe pad 92 is shown in an elevated position wherein the heel and toe pieces 42 and 44 actually engage the heel portion of the last L and the toe of the shoe S.

The general mode of operation of the press is as follows. Assume that the double acting cylinder 50 has just returned the piston 58 to its lowermost position with the left shoe pad 90 beneath the heel and toe piece assembly 16 as shown in FIG. 4. At that time, the operator will remove the shoe carried on the left shoe pad 90 as the sole has been adhered to the shoe upper. During the previous cycle when the shuttle assembly was in the elevated position pressing the left shoe, the operator would have placed the right shoe on the pad 92. The assembly having returned to its lowermost position as shown in FIG. 4, the shuttle will translate to the left to the position shown in FIG. 3 and align the shoe S on the right shoe pad with the heel and toe piece assembly 16 carried on the head of the frame. Next, the double acting cylinder 50 will raise the shuttle assembly to press the last and shoe upper of the right shoe S against the heel and toe piece assembly to permanen-tly adhere the sole spotted to it. At the same time, the operator may place the next left shoe S with its spotted sole on the left pad 90. After a set time as determined by the control knob 22 setting, the shuttle assembly 18 again is lowered by the double acting cylinder to the position shown in FIG. 3 and the right shoe S 4with the adhered sole is removed. Thereafter, the shuttle moves to the right to the position shown in FIG. 4 and then again raises to press the left sole on the left shoe upper. In this fashion the cycle is repeated. It will be appreciated from the description of the operation that the single-unit acts as a two-unit sole laying press because the separate pads alternately press the shoes carried by them against `the single heel and toe piece assembly.

It remains now only necessary to describe the controls for moving the shuttle assembly back and forth as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and for activating the double acting cylinder to raise and lower the shuttle assembly. In FIGS. l and 3-5, a second double acting cylinder iS shown supported above the top plate 52 of the base stand of the frame adjacent the front edge 102 of the bed 62. The double acting cylinder 100 is fixed to the bed 62 and raises and lowers with the bed in response to action of the double acting cylinder 50. Because the cylinder 100 is fixed to the bed 62 it does not move translationally as suggested by the arrow 66. However, the piston rod 104 ofthe cylinder is connected at its free end by means of an adjustable coupling 106 to one of the brackets 64 beneath `the left pad 90. In this manner the double acting cylinder 100 imparts the translational motion to the shuttle assembly 18 between the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The adjustable coupling 106 allows the operator to precisely orient the shuttle assembly 18 on the bed 62 with respect to the heel and toe piece assembly 16.

The pneumatic system for controlling the double acting cylinders 50 and 100 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 in schematic form. In FIG. 2 a regula-tor 1'10 is shown to have an intake duct 112 which may be connected to a compressed air source. The regulator which is of standard design includes a control valve 114, a pot 116 for removing moisture from the compressed air, and a lubrication reservoir 118 to introduce a lubricant into the air to in turn lubricate the system. The outlet of the regulator is connected to a duct 120 which directs the compressed air to the main control va-lve 122. The control valve 122 alternately places the duct 120 in communication with quick exhaust valves 124 and 126 at the ends of ducts 128 and 130, connected to the double acting cylinder 50 on opposite sides of the cylinder piston (not shown). The quick acting valves 124 and 126 are normally open to admit air from the compressed air source through valve 122 and ducts 128 and 130 into the cylinder 50, lbut when either one is disconnected from the compressed air source, the air in the cylinder resets the valve and the valve exhausts the air from the cylinder on its side -of the piston. The exhaust sides of valves 124 and 126 are connected by ducts 132 and 134 to exhaust muler 136.

The cycle time of the control valve 122 is controlled by an electric circuit which may take any one of a number of forms. In FIG. 2 the circuit includes a rheostat 138 in an electronic gas diatron tube circuit represented by the box 140 mounted in the head 1'2 of the frame. A pilot light 142 is mounted on the front panel of the head 12 immediately above the knob 22 which controls rheostat 138, to indicate when the machine is turned on. In FIG. 1 a master control switch 144 is shown mounted on the front panel 146 of the base stand 14. The electronic gas diatron tube circuit also includes an on-otf foot control switch 148. By means of the control knob 22 the operator can control the length of time the shuttle assembly remains in its elevated position to impress the force of the machine upon the sole and upper to assure proper adhesion of the two parts. The contours of the sole, the material of the sole, and the type of cement used will determine the amount of dwell time during which the sole is actually pressed against the upper by the force of the machine.

The double acting cylinder 100 is controlled by the shuttle valve assembly 20 mounted on the side of the base stand 14. The details of the assembly are shown in FIGS. l and 6-9. In FIG. 1, the cylinder `100 is shown to have a pair of fittings 102 and 103 connected to its ends on either side of the piston (not shown).

Translation movement of the shuttle assembly 18 only occurs when the shuttle assembly is in its lowermost position. The shuttle assembly does not move left or right as suggested by arrow 66 unless and until the assembly has reached its lowermost position as determined by the double acting cylinder 50. If the assembly moved translationally when in the elevated position it would upset the adhesion of the sole and upper. Therefore, the shuttle valve assembly 20 in the box 150 mounted on the side of the stand is actuated only when the cylinder 50 returns the shuttle assembly to the lower position. This is accomplished by actuating the assembly 20 directly by a foot 152 carried by and moveable with the cylinder 100, which in turn moves up and down in response to the cylinder 50.

Within the box and forming part of the shuttle valve assembly 20 are three air valves 154, 156 and 158, a stepping ratchet and cam 162 driven by the ratchet, a pawl and valve operator 164 and a return spring 166. Upon each actuation of the pawl and cam operator 164, the cam 162 turns counterclockwise one-eighth revolution, and the pawl and valve operator 164 is actuated each time the foot 152 reaches its lowest position along the course suggested `by the arrow 168 shown in FIG. 6.

The valves 154, 156 and 158 may be either normally open or normally closed but in the arrangement shown each is normally closed and is opened when their respective valve stems 170, 172 and 174 are depressed by the yblades 170', 172 and 174 respectively. The valve stems 172 and 174 are controlled by the cam 162, and the valves 156 and 158 are in opposite conditions at all times because of the orientation of the blades 172 and 174 with respect to the cam. In FIG. 6 the stem 172 is in -its released condition, because the blade 172 with its follower 176 rests on the flat 178 of the cam, and the stem 174 of valve 158 is depressed because its .blade 174' with its follower 180 rest upon peak 182 of the cam. When the cam 162 moves one-eighth revolution to the position shown in FIG. 7, the stem 172 is depressed by action of the peak 182 on the stem 172 and the stern 174 is released by engagement of its stem 174 with the fiat 178'. The valves 156 and 158 continue to alternate their conditions with each one-eighth step of the cam 162.

The valve 154 is controlled by the pawl and valve operator 164. When the foot 152 engages the roller 183 and depresses the left end of the operator 164 the right end of the operator is elevated as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 and engages and depresses the follower 184 of the lblade 170. This action opens the valve 154. When the foot 152 is elevated with the cylinder 100 and bed 62 under the influence of the cylinder 50, the pawl and Valve operator 164 is released to the inuence of spring 166, and the spring turns the pawl and cam operator clockwise to the position shown in FIG. 9 wherein the follower 184 is released and in turn releases the valve stem 170, which closes the valve 154.

In FIG. 6 the pneumatic connections between the different valves and the fittings 102 and 103 of cylinder 100 are suggested. It will be noted in that figure that the valve 154 serves as a master valve to Icontrol the fiow of compressed air to and through the other valves. The valve 154 is connected to a compressed air source and the outlet of the valve by means of ducts 190 and 192 is connected to the intake port of valve 158. The outlet of valve 154 is also connecte-d by means of ducts 190 and 194 to the intake port of valve 156. The outlet of valve 156 is connected through a quick exhaust valve 196, which may be identical to the valves 124 and 126, to the tting 102 on one side of the cylinder 100. Similarly, the outlet `of valve 158 is connected through a quick exhaust valve 198 to the tting 103 on the other side of the cylinder 100.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that only when the foot 152 is in its lowermost Iposition is the valve 154 open because only when the foot is in that position is the cam operator 164 positioned as shown in FIG. 8. In that con-dition the valve 154 directs air to both of the inlets of valves 156 and 158. However, the cam 162 determines which one of the valves 156 and 158 is open to pass the compressed air to the cylinder 100. When the foot raises, the valve 154 closes, and both valves 156 and 158 are disconnected from the compressed air source so that no further activation of the cylinder 100 occurs. Therefore, no translation can occur until the foot 152 returns to the lowermost position under the influence of the cylinder 50. Thus, it will be appreciated that each time the bed 62 and the cylinder 100 are lowered, the shuttle assembly translates once to change the pad beneath the heel and toe piece assembly. This program continues so long as the foot 152 engages the roller 183. However, the shuttle valve assembly includes a latch 200 that cooperates with a pin 201 on the pawl operator to hold the pawl operator 164 in a generally vertical position out of the path of the foot. This latch will disable the shuttle valve assembly 20 so that the shuttle moves only up and down and functions as a single-unit press. In ormal use, however, the latch 200 is not used.

From the foregoing description those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous modifications may be made of this invention without departing from its spirit. Because numerous modifications may be made of this inven- 6 tion, it is not intended to limit its breadth to the single embodiment illustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined vby the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:

1. A sole laying press comprising a frame having a head and base,

a heel and toe piece assembly mounted on the head,

a shuttle assembly mounted on the base, said assembly including a bed, a double pad carrier and a pair of pads mounted on the carrier,

means mounted on the base and connected to the bed for raising and lowering the assembly toward and away from the heel and toe piece assembly,

and additional means mounted on the frame and connected to the carrier for alternately aligning the pads with the heel and toe piece assembly.

2. A sole laying press as defined in claim 1 further ycharacterized .by

means connected to an-d moveable with the assembly for activating the additional means when the assembly is in its lowermost position.

3. A sole laying press as defined in claim 2 further characterized by one pad being contoured for a left shoe and the other being contoured for a right shoe.

4. A sole laying press as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said means and additional means including pneumatically operated double acting cylinders.

5. A sole laying press comprising a frame having a head and base,

a heel and toe piece assembly mounted on the head,

a vertically -ope-rating air cylinder mounted in the base and having a piston moveable vertically on the frame,

a bed carried by the piston and disposed above the base,

means including an electrically operated valve for directing compressed air to alternate sides of said cylinder for raising and lowering said bed toward and away from the heel and toe assembly,

means including a pad carrier mounted on the bed and slidable horizontally on the bed,

a pair of pads carried on the carrier,

means including a horizontally operating second air cylinder mounted` on the frame and having a piston connected to the carrier, said second cylinder raising and lowering with the bed,

means including a plurality of valves for directing compressed air to alternate sides of the second cylinder for sliding the carrier horizontally on the bed for alternately positioning the pads beneath the heel and toe piece assembly.

a master valve included in the plurali-ty of valves for controlling the flow of compressed air to the cylinders,

and means connected to the bed for opening the master valve only when the bed is in its lower position away from the heel and toe piece assembly.

6. A sole laying press as defined in claim 5 further characterized by a timing circuit connected to the electrically operated valve for varying the time in which the bed is in its raised position.

7. A sole laying press as defined in claim 6 further characterized by said plurality of valves including a pair of valves each connected to the outlet of the master valve and connected on their outlet sides to opposite sides of the second cylinder,

and a cam operatively connected to each of the valves of the pair for simultaneously opening one of the additional valves and closing the other and changing the condition of said valves.

7 8. A sole laying press as defined in claim 7 further characterized by the means for opening the master valve including a valve operator and a foot connected to and moveable with the bed for actuating said operator to open the valve when the foot is in a lower position. 9. A sole laying press as delined -in claim 8 further characterized by a prescribed number of degrees with each step of the ratchet, and a pawl for stepping the ratchet and connected to the valve operator for changing the condition of the additional valve each time the master valve is opened.

8 10. A sole laying press as defined in claim 5 further characterized by disabling means connected to the last named means for preventing opening of the master valve to prevent horizontal movement of the carrier.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1879 Ross 12-36 FOREIGN PATENTS 9/ 1934 Italy.

FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN 

1. A SOLE LAYING PRESS COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING A HEAD AND BASE, A HEEL AND TOE PIECE ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE HEAT, A SHUTTLE ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON THE BASE, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A BED, A DOUBLE PAD CARRIER AND A PAIR OF PADS MOUNTED ON THE CARRIER, MEANS MOUNTED ON THE BASE AND CONNECTED TO THE BED FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE ASSEMBLY TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE HEEL AND TOE PIECE ASSEMBLY, AND ADDITIONAL MEANS MOUNTED ON THE FRAME AND CONNECTED TO THE CARRIER FOR ALTERNATELY ALINGING THE PADS WITH THE HEEL AND TOE PIECE ASSEMBLY. 